HPC-D talks on January 31

Aizawl, Jan. 24: The Mizoram government is pulling out all stops to make up with its nemesis, the Hmar Peopleís Convention (D), ahead of the upcoming by-poll to the Chalfilh Assembly constituency.

The two sides are scheduled to meet on January 31 to discuss the modalities of peace, an official source said here today. The first round was held in Silchar, Assam, on December 13 last year.

Observers reckon that the ruling Congress has calculated the risks of not pampering the HPC (D) ahead of the upcoming byelection to the Chalfilh Assembly constituency, which has a large Hmar population.

The venue of the talks is yet to be confirmed but it is definite that two outfit members and some Hmar leaders will represent the HPC (D) while state home department officials will represent the government.

The government had signed a suspension of operations pact with the outfit in November 2010 but it had fallen apart after the two sides accused each other of breaking the ground rules.

The situation deteriorated last year, beginning with a tiff between the influential Young Mizo Association and the outfit and grew worse with the arrest of the outfitís self-styled army chief and his deputy in June and its chairman at Delhi airport in July.

The outfit subsequently called for a village council election boycott, following which polls in 15 Sinlung Hills Development Council villages have not been held till date.